Doubling it's population in the New Zealand summer, the North Island town of Taupo is a favorite New Zealand tourist destination, primarily for the fact that it lies on the shores of beautiful Lake Taupo. Lake Taupo vacations can see you enjoying an array of activities, like fishing and boating, and there are certainly enough accommodations options here to choose from. The friendly local appeal of Lake Taupo helps to make it a top destination, and the geothermic goings on here are also curious enough to draw many visitors in. Lake Taupo New Zealand is located some 180 miles southeast of Auckland, in the heart of the country's volcanic region. The city of Rotorua is just over 50 miles to the north, and it's another one of New Zealand's top vacation destinations. You can add a trip to some great, nearby New Zealand beaches at the Bay of Plenty when vacationing at Lake Taupo, and if you want to sample some of the country's best wines, the Hawkes Bay wine region is within reach. Come winter, you can head to Tongariro National Park to enjoy the ski fields found here.

The sparkling waters of Lake Taupo are the main calling card for the Lake Taupo region. Lake Taupo fishing is some of the best fishing in New Zealand, especially when it comes to trout. Hailed as one of the world's last, true wild trout fisheries, you can be sure the experience is as authentic as you could want. There are plenty of local guides who can help you enjoy the best that Lake Taupo fishing has to offer, and should you snare something, which you probably will, many of the Lake Taupo restaurants will be happy to prepare it for you. The trout fishing here is all season, so you can enjoy it no matter when you choose to go. You can work some fly fishing into your Lake Taupo fishing holiday, and if you want to stay in a New Zealand lodge that revolves around fishing, then you'll book your Lake Taupo stay at the Tongariro Lodge.

If Lake Taupo fishing isn't your main interest, there are a list of other activities to enjoy here. In under an hour's trip, you can find a handful of great New Zealand golf courses, or perhaps you'll be up for hiking the Lake Taupo volcano. If trekking is something you enjoy, you won't want to miss the chance to enjoy the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which is often recognized at the country's best one-day walk. Heli hiking is a top activity for the Lake Taupo area, and it involves having a helicopter drop you off at an otherwise hard to reach destination. It's a lot like heli skiing, which you can also do in New Zealand.

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Kayaking, and river rafting are just a couple of other fun activities to enjoy at Lake Taupo New Zealand. Perhaps you'll be up for a scenic cruise, or maybe the famed Huka Falls will tempt you. Huka Falls is easily one of the most visited natural attractions in New Zealand, and you can choose to get here in 5 minutes by driving, or in about half an hour if you want to enjoy the riverside walk. There are some 47 rivers that feed into Lake Taupo, and the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest, is the lake's only outlet. It seems everywhere you look on the horizon, you see volcanoes. Lake Taupo volcano eruptions have done much to shape the landscape. Lake Taupo itself is the result of a volcanic eruption, and story has it that the eruption was so significant that it caused a hazy sky as far away as China. For Lake Taupo volcano information, you'll want to head to the Volcanic Activity Center on Huka Falls Road. Simply put, it's the best place to learn all about the country's geothermal goings-ons.

You can view actual mud pools, geysers and geothermal activity at the Wairakei Natural Thermal Valley. Geothermal power possibilities are among the highlights of this experience, as is the chance you'll get to learn a little bit about the native Maori people. You can even tour a Maori village. One of the interesting Lake Taupo New Zealand attractions is the Prawn Farm, where you can actually feed the prawn. Afterwards, you can enjoy a savory prawn meal at the Prawn Farm restaurant, if that doesn't bother you. There are quite a lot of restaurants and cafes and such at Lake Taupo, so you certainly will not be hard-pressed to find a good snack or meal. The nightlife scene here is pretty good as well. Between the Lake Taupo hotels and vacation rentals, you will have no issue finding accommodations. From the budget accommodations at the Rainbow Lodge, to the luxurious digs at The Point Villas, there is Lake Taupo lodging to fit pretty much any budget and taste.

As is the case with all of New Zealand's vacation destinations, there are simply too many attractions and things to do at Lake Taupo to list them all here. This not a country where you are bound to get bored, and Lake Taupo New Zealand is no different. To get here, you can come by way of rental car, and the nice roads help to make the trip easy. Daily flights from Auckland and Wellington are also a good way to go, and you can also hop on a bus from destinations like Rotorua and Auckland. To help you customize your Lake Taupo trip, you can stop at the Taupo i-Site Visitor Center on Tongariro Street after you arrive.